What if?
by Hermione the Slayer
Summary: What if Harry, scared of being made fun of at this new school, had chosen to be Malfoy's friend and not Ron's on the train that first day? *FINISHED*
1. The Choice

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter etc.  
  
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This story takes place on the train heading to the first year at Hogwarts. It's a what-if story about Harry and Draco being friends. I've started the story with Draco's invitation of friendship on the train.  
  
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"You'll soon find some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Draco Malfoy held his hand out to shake Harry's.  
  
Harry's brain pondered quickly what to do. He was a good decent person, but he was also a boy who had been tormented at school for his entire life because of Dudley. Ever since he had learned about Hogwarts he had been scared the same would happen here. More than anything, he did not want to be on the bad side of the "popular" kids. This was his chance. Was he going to blow it to take the side of some boy he had met only five minutes ago? With an unsure hand, Harry reached out to shake Malfoy's hand. Then feeling very uncomfortable, he left the car. He turned and caught a pitiful glance from Ron Weasly before following Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle to their train car.  
  
The car door opened in Harry stepped in. Sitting there were two girls, Meredith Bullstrode, a butch girl who looked like she could sit on Harry, and Pansy Parkinson, a very pretty girl with long brown hair. "They know girls already," thought Harry, trying to convince himself that he'd made the right decision.  
  
Malfoy began to introduce everyone. "This is the great Harry Potter. I just saved him from sitting with a Weasley!" Everyone laughed. Harry forced a laugh, but something in the pit of his stomach made him think he had made a bad choice.  
  
Yet everyone here seemed to like him. He might actually be part of the popular crowd. He might actually have friends. Harry smiled. He made a vow to himself that even if he was popular, he would never be a bully. Then he pushed his doubts to the back of his mind and joined in the conversation about what Hogwarts would be like.  
  
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There will be more chapters coming soon! I really really really appreciate reviews!! 


	2. The Troll

The first month of school was a blur for Harry, but he was happy, although he always had doubts about being friends with Malfoy. He was always nice to Harry but he was miserably mean to others. His two favorite targets were Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The Slytherins had Potions class with the Griffindors and Malfoy and his friends always went out of their way to torment Hermione and Ron. Every once and a while Malfoy would nudge Harry and ask why he wasn't joining in the fun. Harry just sort of shrugged. He felt bad enough standing by, and he was definitely not going to be a part of bullying people. He really was a good person, but after all the years of being the biggest loser in school (mostly thanks to Dudley) he was just relieved not to be on the receiving end of Malfoy's torments. He liked not being considered a loser.  
  
Ron, who had a few Griffindor friends to stand up for him took the teasing and name calling much better than Hermione, who appeared to have no friends at all. Harry felt bad for her but what could he do? He tried convincing himself that she brought this upon herself; she was a stuck up know-it-all who sucked up to every teacher. Yet Harry still felt bad.  
  
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Halloween rolled around and there was a great Halloween feast. Everyone was enjoying the lavish banquet, and there was an air of excitement that night. Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone gasped as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped "Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know."  
  
He sank to the floor in a dead faint.  
  
There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Dumbledore's wand to bring silence. "Prefects," lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately."  
  
There was an air of panic, but somehow everyone managed to get back to their respective common rooms, where they sat, talking about the troll. The Slytherin common room was a buzz with speculation, with many of the Syltherins claiming to have seen, or even fought trolls. Harry was trying not to laugh as Malfoy was telling the story of how he fought off a full- grown troll when he was only 7, when the story was interrupted to by the stern voice of Professor Snape.  
  
"I have some news about the troll," he said in his usual stern voice. "The troll has been caught. However, not without casualty." He paused and took a deep breath. "A Griffindor girl has been killed by the troll. She was in the bathroom at the time, and knew nothing of the troll until it was upon her."  
  
"Who was she?" asked Pansy Parkinson nosily.  
  
"Hermione Granger."  
  
The was a buzz of whispers and a few mean words said about her. Harry was appalled! It suddenly hit him how very awful many of the Slytherins were. Snape however was appalled also (or at least pretended to be) and bellowed "SILENCE! I will not stand here and condone you speaking ill of the dead!" He paused to take a calming breath. "Classes tomorrow are canceled and there will be a service for Miss Granger in the Great Hall at 3pm. It is not mandatory to attend and I suggest that you do so only if you can behave like civilized adults."  
  
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Harry crawled into bed that night with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wondered why Hermione had been in the bathroom that night. Earlier he had seen her crying. Was she in the bathroom crying when she was killed? If so, was if because of the things Malfoy and the gang had said to her in potions that day and every other? He was almost about to cry when he heard Malfoy whispering from the bed next to him.  
  
"You awake Potter?"  
  
He knew he should have pretended to be asleep, but he answered anyway. "yeah"  
  
"It's a shame about the Granger girl," said Malfoy.  
  
"Yeah." Harry was extremely surprised. Did Malfoy have a heart?  
  
"I mean now what are we going to do in potions? Tormenting Weasley wears thin, and that class is so dreadfully boring."  
  
"Yeah," Harry managed to mutter. It was all he could do to stop himself from jumping out of bed and pounding Malfoy for being an insensitive bastard.  
  
"You ok Potter? You've barely said a word"  
  
"I'm just tired," he lied.  
  
"You feel bad about the bushy haired little mudblood don't you?"  
  
"How can you say such things about her?? Do you have no feelings at all! She's dead!" Harry was beginning to shout. He could feel himself growing angrier.  
  
"Calm down, she was just an ugly muggle born know-it-all. No real loss"  
  
"You heartless bastard!" said Harry rising out of bed. He knew he could no longer associate with Malfoy. He wasn't just a bully. He was downright rotten to the core. "What did you say Potter?" Malfoy was also getting out of bed.  
  
"I said you're a heartless bastard!"  
  
Crabbe and Goyle, who shared the room with Malfoy and Harry, had both been awakened by the yelling. Harry and Malfoy were now facing each other, but Malfoy had Crabbe and Goyle behind him. Harry had three choices: apologize to Malfoy (not an option he told himself), fight the three boys (not an option if he wanted to live), or run. Harry chose to run. In his pajamas he ran down the stairs, through the Slytherin common room and out into the school.  
  
Harry wandered the school for a while, not knowing what to do. He knew he would get in to trouble if he was caught wandering so late, but he didn't care. He just walked and thought. He thought about Hermione and the possibility that her death was his fault. He thought about the horrible choices he had made. If only he could go back and change things.  
  
When enough time had passed, Harry snuck back into the Slytherin common room, and, not daring to go back to his room, curled up under an afghan on one of the big cushy chairs and cried himself to sleep.  
  
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There is one more chapter coming. Please review!!! Thanks 


	3. The Sorcerers Stone

After a few hours of fitful sleep, Harry awoke to a blinding pain in his forehead. His scar felt as though it were on fire, burning a hole through his head. He screamed without even realizing it. Soon the entire house had gathered in the common room to see what was wrong with Harry.  
  
Before anyone could say anything, there was a loud rumbling that sounded as thought it was coming from the basement of the school. The floor began to shake and the windows began to rattle. There was suddenly screaming coming from every direction. Harry was still in excruciating pain as he sat grabbing his head, but barely anyone noticed. They were too busy watching the walls, which began leaking blood.  
  
"HARRY POTTER!" boomed a loud and horrifyingly evil voice. It was a voice of pure evil. Lord Voldemort had stolen the Sorcerers Stone and had risen. The evilest wizard to walk to the earth was now immortal.  
  
The End  
  
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Good? Bad? Please review!!!! Thanks so much! 


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